The Great Principle

The Great Principle constitutes the ancient code of behaviour for all Kuei-jin. It is the single most important teachingin Cathayan society. Each new disciple is commanded to learnand live by its precepts, called the Fivefold Way, in his or-her every word and deed. Whether the vampire in question actually does so or not, whether the vampire's wu and court actually adhere to the teachings, are other matters. Still, the Great Principle provides a theoretical framework linking all, Kuei-jin in the Middle Kingdom.

The Fivefold Way, in contrast to the Six Traditions or theWestern Kindred, acts as much more than a fundamental code of laws. The Fivefold Way is literally that: a way of life. It permeates practically all facets of Cathayan existence, bothindividual and communal. The Great Principle embodies a Kuei-jin's personal directive of discovering and fulfilling his divine purpose.

The Fivefold Way functions as a guide to realizing that fulfillment, yet adherence and devotion to its precepts vary asmuch as everything else in Kuei-jin society. Many of the older and more established courts, particularly ones that have their origins in China proper, follow the Fivefold Way with unwavering diligence. As one travels farther out from the core of Kuei-jin society, cultural differences and political circumsstances result in differing levels of interpretation of the onecorrect way of unlife for a Kuei-jin — if there is indeed one "correct" way.

The Way of Origin
"Remember whence you came, for it is the unchanging whole of your purpose."

The Way of Origin sums up the fundamental differencebetween the Kuei-jin and the Western Kindred. It is the onetruth of all Cathayans' existence: the belief that all Kuei-jincome from the same place. Each Kuei-jin believes that he or she; traveled the Road Back for a specific reason. Despite an individual's homeland, Dharma, social status or political influence, no single Kuei-jin is, as far as the Great Cycle is concerned, inherently different from another. All Kuei-jin are connected — to the earth, to each other, across life and death— through their Origin.

Origin underscores the majority of variations between the Cathayans and the Western Kindred, in both the physiological and philosophical senses. All Kuei-jin originate in the sameplace, travel the same Road Back and have the same primordial spirit essence coursing through them. No Kuei-jin Embraces any other, or any mortal. There is no Curse to hand down, nor is there any weakening of generation in the manner of Western Kindred. Sires do not exist; neither do clans. A Kuei-jin's Dharma and court remain voluntary choices, based only uponinner predilections and talents.

Origin lends itself to ways of thought totally removed frombeliefs of the Western clans, thus giving Cathayans the semblanceof a giant, extended community. Of course, within anycommunity there is found to exist some strife and disagreement.Nonetheless Cathayans see themselves, in all their, multitudes of composition, as directed toward the same goal: reconciliation with the Great Cycle. It has bred them a feeling of superiority over the Kin-jin, whom they see as ignorant and vulgar and very, very dangerous.

The Way of Lineage
"Heed well those who have come before, and respect those who come after, for they are all part of the truth." Respect for one's elders and ancestors, living or dead, is a staple of Asian society. For Cathayans, such reverence is no less important, although their definition of elders and ancestorsvaries from that of the Western, bloodlines. In Cathayan terms, lineage is regarded as the product of two factors: the Age when one returned from the spirit world and one's individual progression along one's particular dharma.

There is no direct sireship as exists for the Western Kindred; Kuei-jin instead revere their mentors, their jina and the ancestors of the courts. In some instances certain wu & composed of Kuei-jin who were related in their mortal lives. These wu exhibit a palpably stronger bond among their members becauseof actual familial unity, but the concept of lineage carries equal"weight and importance among all Kuei-jin.

Kuei-jin who honor the Way of Lineage believe that each one of their number has something valuable, however small, to teach her fellows. The older the Kuei-jin is, the more she has to teach, but the opposite is also true — younger Kuei-jin have ideas and insights that hold merit equal with ones of the most hallowed Cathayan sages. Younger disciples see the accumulation of wisdom through the Ages as priceless, for the experiences and teachings of the old promise aid to the young in taking a place in tne Great Cycle and fulfilling their Dharmic duties.

Lineage is a radical departure from the relationships between elders and childer of the Western Kindred. So powerful is this notion that some Cathayans do not stop merely at learning from their immediate elders; certain courts have attempted to communicate with the arhats of old, such as the Grand Arhat Xue. This activity has caused some controversy in Cathayan society, especially in the case of younger Kuei-jin. Some of the younger disciples, dissatisfied with the teachings of their elders, seek to communicate directly with the arhats, even with Xue himself, who they feel is the only true authority in Kuei-jin society. According to these vampires, the filtering of Xue's teachings through ancestors, whom they see as politicized, and through mandarins, whose teachings have calcified over the ages, does a disservice to Kuei-jin of the modern Age.

They seek the truth, plain and unvarnished, and prefer to go straight to its source. A good deal of strife has resulted among the Kuei-jin, because of the ambiguous nature of this disobedience: Although the younger Kuei-jin are not faithfully following their immediate elders, neither are they totally forsaking the Way of Lineage. It remains a touchy subject.

The Way of Integrity
"Maintain your honor and trust in all thought, word, and deed, for the behavior of one affects the entire community."

For the Kuei-jin, personal honor and trustworthiness are as important as they are to the mortal populations. What the mortals call "face" is referred to by the Kuei-jin as the Way of Integrity.

A Kuei-jin's word is his bond, and his reputation and standing in the larger Cathayan community are as much a part of him as his physical existence. All Kuei-jin hold some amount of rights within the larger society, depending upon their status and the maintenance of their Dharmas. Each Kuei-jin is ultimately responsible for her actions. No idea of a sire's accounting exists in the Cathayan world view.

Individual Kuei-jin are expected to conduct themselves in an honorable manner: respecting others' position and power, remaining true to their Dharmas, abiding by the laws of the court and the ruling ancestors, etc. Integrity assumes that a Kuei-jin does her part to sustain the harmony of the court and the community by refraining from untoward actions or underhanded plotting.

The force of the Way of Integrity trickles down to the most meticulous details in social interaction. Absolute answers are rarely given in public, to avoid the discomfort and disappointment that follows a "no" — Kuei-jin dialogue is often couched in vagueness and enigma. In addition, arguments and berating are often had out behind closed doors, so as not to attract attention or cause a scene. Grievances within and between courts are handled in closed ceremonies, and even the gravest punishments are handled quietly and quickly. The Way of Integrity also mandates the respect and upkeep of other Cathayans' honor. It is considered improper in the extreme for a Kuei-jin openly to defame or challenge another's power or authority, or to act in a way that would bring dishonor upon his own court or ancestor.

The Way of Obligation
"Understand your duties to your brethren, to the forces of the universe, and to yourself, and do all to fulfill them." All Kuei-jin are bound by duty, the Way of Obligation. Duty can and does take numerous forms: duty to one's Dharma to the rules and procedures of one's court, and to the ruling ancestors. In theory, a Kuei-jin also has a duty to the life forces of the earth, to the celestial population and eyfen to mortals.

During the Fourth Age, a Cathayan wu, drawing upon the writings of Ki, formulated a concept that the Kuei-j in still practice tonight, that of the Five Obligations. The Five Obligations define a quintet of relationships that represent a Kuei-jin's interconnectedness with his or her fellow vampires, and with the rest of the universe. They are the Obligation of Power (the relationship between a Kuei-jin and the officials of the court), the Obligation of Legacy (the relationship between elder and younger Kuei-jin), the Obligation of Knowledge (the relationship between mentor and disciple), the Obligation of Court (the relationship between Kuei-jin of different courts or Dharmas) and the Obligation of the World (the relationship between Kuei-jin and the rest of existence, which includes the mortal world, the Yin and Yang Worlds, and the dragon tracks themselves).

These Five Obligations are the spokes of a wheel that has the Kuei-jin at its center. In order for the entirety of the structure to function smoothy. Kuei-jin must keep these five relationships strong and healthy, so that the spokes do not weaken and cause the wheel to cease turning. In practice, the Way of Obligation is often a one-way street; although a Kuei-jin may keep his word and fulfill these Five Obligations, such faithfulness and solidity may not be reciprocated by his more worldly brethren. It does not matter. A Kuei-jin is supposed to keep his word and follow through in his actions and oaths.

As with everything else in Cathayan society, the understanding of the Five Obligations becomes fuzzy on the individual level. A Kuei-jin's personal relationships with other Kuei-jin who were familial ancestors in life, or with his own former mortal family, invariably complicate the precepts of Obligation. Familial bonds can prove to be amazingly strong, often at the most inconvenient moments. Kuei-jin more often than not maintain ties with other Kuei-jin to whom they were related in life, a practice that often pits a vampire against his own court when the relative belongs to a hostile court or follows an "unacceptable" Dharma. In addition, Kuei-jin often utilize the cultural practices of ancestor worship and the belief in household gods to exert control over their former mortal families during times of need, whether the need is for a safe haven, a bit of favorable action from mortal power structures or a trusted reservoir of Chi.

The Way of Propriety
"Practice correctness in all you do, for the Great Cycle, in its every aspect, has its own nature, and that nature must be followed." Propriety concerns itself with ritual, ceremony and etiquette; in short, the correct way of doing something. To Cathayans, everything has one true nature within the universe; consequently, there is only one correct way of performing an action, a ceremony or a task in one's Dharma.

Ritual and ceremony are mainstays of Cathayan existence. Kuei-jin understand that their powers and magics, like everything else in the universe, stem from the interaction of the Yin and Yang energies that drive all creation. Every aspect of a Kuei-jin's supernatural abilities ultimately comes via the grace of the Ebon Dragon and Scarlet Queen. In order for a vampire to tap into her individual Disciplines, she performs meticulous rituals to placate the spirit rulers, rituals that have been handed down for millennia.

These ceremonies are called Reciprocities, and they do not occur only between a Kuei-jin and the spirits. A Reciprocity can be instituted between two or more vampires as a pledge of fealty, as the final seal on a treaty or contract, or in any other situation of mutual exchange. Kuei-jin society is extremely complex andformal, with a host of correct greetings, exercises, and trappings all done to maintain the Way of Propriety. No short cuts or easy answers exist for the Kuei-jin; everything has a purpose and an established series of steps. To do otherwise offends not only the Great Cycle and rbe celestial forces, but also the object, person orceremony itselt. Such behavior cheapens the value of things and robs them of their complete and rightful being. Ignoring Propriety effectively arrests the Great Cycle and places the Kuei-jin further away from her Dharmic goal.